Venetian blind bracket



35\ fi )INVENTOR.

27 11 3/ BY J/az ry Ji /5017 June 14, 1949; H. NELSON 73,

VENETIAN BLIND- BRACKET Filed Oct. 25, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l A; ATTORNEYS F19. 10 ,fawrv" June 14, 1949. NELSON VENETIAN BLIND BRACKET 2 Shee ts-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1945 m wwflfi 5 s 7 0 2 m R 4 vy o 13m W W w 21 Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND BRACKET Application October 23, 1945, Serial No. 623,970

12 Claims. -(Cl. 248264) This invention relates to Venetian blinds, and more particularly to so-called installation brackets which are afiixed to the window frame for supporting the head-bar of a Venetian blind.

In mounting Venetian blinds it is a common practice to make use of a suspension bar or headbar, which supports a tilt bar and which carries certain mechanism for operating the blind. The head-bar is commonly mounted on brackets placed on opposite sides of the window frame, and it is desirable to provide the bracket with means for supporting a valance which serves to conceal the operating mechanism of the blind. In the case of a so-ca-lled inside mounting of the blind the installation brackets are afiixed to the sides of the window jam bs. In the case of a. so-called outside mounting of the blind the installation brackets are afiixed to the front faces of the jambs.

A general object of the present invention is to so simplify and improve the construction of Venetian blind installation brackets as to effect economies in manufacture and facility of installation, while providing adequate strength and durability.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket of the character mentioned which can be economically and satisfactorily made from sheet metal that has received rust-proofing treatment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal bracket of the character described which can be rapidly and economically manufactured without welding.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket of the character described which has an improved, smoothly operating, locking device for securing the head-bar in position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a Venetian blind installation bracket in which the weight of the supported blind aids in more securely holdin the valance carrier in place.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a Venetian blind installation bracket of such construction that it will have adequate rigidity and strength when made of stamped sheet metal of lighter gage than heretofore used for such brackets.

Various additional objects will be apparent from the detailed description which follows.

My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. In the claims, as well as in the description, parts are at times identified by specific names for clarity and convenience, but such nomenclature is to be understood as having the broadest meaning consistent with the context and with the concept of my invention as distinguished from the pertinent prior art. The best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plane development of the body member of the bracket.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the body member of the bracket.

Fig. 3 is a plane development of a slider used in the bracket to retain the head-bar in position thereon.

Fig. 4 is an isometric View of the slider.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bracket with the valance holder in open position.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 86 of Fig. 7, showing the head-bar, valance, and a portion of the jamb in section, and showing the bracket in side elevation.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 'l'l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section of the bracket on line 8-8 of Fig. 6, fragments of the head-bar and valance being indicated in dot-dash lines.

Fig. 9 is a plane development of the valance holder.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the valance holder.

Fig. 11 is a section through the valance holder on line Il-ll of Fig. 10.

The drawings show a right-hand bracket embodying the present invention, 1. e., a bracket for supporting the right-hand ends of the head-bar and valance as viewed from the room side of the window. It will be understood that a left-hand bracket also is used with each Venetian blind to support the left-hand ends of the head-bar and valance, and that the left-hand bracket is of the same construction but of the opposite hand.

It is very desirable in brackets for Venetian blinds that they be protected against disfigurement through rusting, but steel which has been bonderized or otherwise rust-prooied does not respond well to spot-Welding for the reason that the protecting surface layer may interfere and 8 of the drawingsg The body memberpf the bracket, designated as a whole by l, is a one-piece sheet metal stamping having a vertical plate pertion 2, a mounting flange l5, and a headbarsupporting shelf 3 which extends horizontally from a depending portion H thatclies 'alongside.of the upper part of the plate portionfli Plate portion .2 2

is provided with a plurality of holes 9 (three'" shown) to receive screws for an. fjinside mount-1 ing of the blind. Plate portion 2 is also provided with a hole 5 to receive a rivet for pivotally securing the valance holder to the body member of the bracket.

Mountingflange 15 --lies in 'averticat .plane at right angles to plate portiont2;:-being connected. to plate portion 2 byasrighteangle bend at line'8 r (Fig 1).

Diagonallyw-extending: stiffening ribsare "pressed-out at I85 l8 toubracethe mounting 1 flange with respect to platewportiond. A number oft-holes l0 .(four showni 'are provided in the mountingflange lfi torreceiveescrews' for a socalled out ide mounting-clothe:blind. Preferably the mounting flanged 5 terminates above the lower edge of plate portion 2 and has itsizrear' face flush with 'edge Za (Fig. 2). asvexplained near the beginning of page 2 of the-specification of myr'U. S. Patents-2,281,043 dated Ap-ril 28, 1942.

Depending portion H is connected fwithi"plate portion: 2 byf-ax-bend' aof small "radius at *line 6 (Fig; l) Preferably the bend is so made that the lower part of portion ll engages plate p'or tion 2 withresilie'nt pressures shelf t is connected'with portion II by a-bend of "small radius at line I (Fig-'1) A plurality of stiffening ribs 4'4 (thieesets' shown) are pressed out' from portionil'andshelf '3. Portion! I- isprovided with a rectangular'sIider'openin'g I2 from the lower edge of which there projects-"-a"springfinger 54 adapted *to bear against'the slider as will 'beexplained'later: Portion H is also provide'dvvith a moon-shaped cutout at It (Fig. l) to provide clearance" for "the insertionofa "screw through" upper hole 9." p

A slider, designated asv a whole by 20 '(Figs; 4, 3, 5, 6, 8 and "73 is formed as a one-piece sheet metal stamping. It includes aivertical bodyportion 19, a horizontally extending "retainer finger 24,"bearing wings 2|, 2 I, detents 22.22, and camlike entrance projections 23.- 23'." .P'drtions. 2!, 22, 23"and 24 all extend at right angles to body por tion l9,-portion 24 lying in a horizontal plane and portions 2!, 22"and.23lying .in vertical planes when the bracketis mounted...

The slider of Figs .4 is assembled Witll the. body f member of Fig,2 .by. ,sirnply..plaoing- .it,. in up.-

right position, inuopeningf I2 011 l'portion I l. and then .iorcibly depressingrit. -nntranee projections 23.13 earn the lower -.part .of...depending body'... portion H awayifrom the plate Zjandafter de-. tents 22, 22 have .passedcbeneath. shelfs3, :body.v

portion l I snapsabacklagainst plate-.2, thereby retaining the slider in assembled relation to body member I.

A valance carrier, designated as a Whole by 2?, (Figs. 10, 11, 9, 5, 6, 8 and '7) is formed as a single sheet metal stamping. It includes a front flange portion 35 and a side flange portion 25 connected by a bend of appreciable radius in zone 26. Side flange 23 is ofiset as shown to provide a shoulder at 29 which, in the closed position of the valance holder (Fig. 8), engages the forward vertical edge of plate 2. A raised circular portion 33 is pressed from the metal of flangetfllifand pierced at-f3 lto receiver-a rivet 36 (Fig; '7) for pivotally attaching the valance holder to plate 2. Also a. rib 31 is pressed from flange 28 to--tsnap behind the foremost rib l of depending body. ,portion .-ll to hold the valance carrier in closed position. Yielding fingers 39, 30 are adapted to engage-the valance 32, top and bottom, and-hold: it against front flange 3|. The valance is 'supported 'at the bottom by a finger 35.

With the bracket assembled as shown in Figs. 5 and G'andmounte'd'in a vertical position on a windowilframe, the slider 28 is elevated to its uppermost position preparatory to receiving a head-bar such as-bal 25. Upward movement of thezslidernis arrested by' -detents- =122, .22 "striking the bottom otshelf 3; in which: position finger 24 will-be sufficiently elevatedrto permit the-headbar to be slidonto shelf:3.- Whilethe-head-baris beingplacediin position the slider is held in; elevatedsposit-ion byspring: fingen i l-which friction-allyaengages-it.- With the head-bar .inpositionpthe slider is pulled doWrn-bringing retainer I finger-2 1-to:.or-nean the bottom of groove 26in the :head-bar-and' thereby holding the headmar imposition onflshelf Inelevating-or depressingsliderilll .it is not necessaryto have access to the i retainer .finger 24 as: the slider can be manipulated-by apointed instrument inserted into hole l qnor by aescrewdriver placed 'againsttdetents 22,.22orprojections23,23, Bear-ing'wings 2|, 2|

not only. guide the=slider smoothly in opening l2,

.and afford a lasting snug attachment of the valance carrier-Nate plate 2 without the useof a springwasher or :the like. The valance 3-2 is slid into the carrierrflfrom the open end of the carrierand-yieldable fingers 30, 39 hold the valance snugly against flange 31 despite considerable variation in thickness-of the valance. Since one oiithefingerstil isclosc to finger. 35 there is no danger-of even a very thin valance being forced into such a position that itwill droppast finger 35;. The fingers 3b,- 30 (are pressed out in such manner as toleave the-free edge of flange 23 uninterrupted from bottomtotop. Thus there is no danger of this flange catching onthe forward edgeot-plate 2,- .or straddlingit, as-the valance carrier isclosed.- In'open" position of the valance carrier,-a portion-ofshou1der'29 engages the bottom edge of plate 2 and prevents the carrier 21 from swinging-dowel" than the' position shown in Fig.5

Body-membersd maybe made with the shelf 3-at different levels, toreceive head-bars of different vertical. dimensions. Theflength of rib 31 on the valance carrier is sufiicient-to enable it tosnap behind theforemost-verti'cal rib t on depending :body portion 1 l forthe various commercial levels of shelf 3. Thus, a single size and style of valance carrier suffices for assembly with body members I intended to receive head-bars of different vertical dimensions. The resiliency of depending body portion H is sufficient to hold the valance carrier in closed position unless the valance carrier is forcibly opened. However, the weight of the blind imposed on shelf 3 further presses the lower part of depending portion H against plate 2, thereby aiding in holding the valance carrier in closed position. This is particularly advantageous in the case of wide windows, which require a very long valance board.

Shelf 3 may optionally be provided with upwardly extending burrs or projections 3a, 3a struck from the edge metal of the shelf, and/or with a hole 31). Burrs 3a, to, when provided embed themselves in the head-bar as shown in Figs. 6 and '7 and effectively resist horizontal shifting of the head-bar on the shelf. To secure the headbar against movement in any direction with respect to the shelf, a screw may be inserted upwardly therein through hole 3b. In this case slider 2!] may, if desired, be omitted.

What I claim is:

1. A Venetian blind bracket having a body member formed of a Single sheet metal plate having a portion folded upon the remainder and stressed at the fold so that the folded portion contacts the plate with resilient pressure, part of said folded portion extending away from the plate to form a supporting shelf at substantially a right angle to said sheet metal plate, said sheet metal plate having a laterally projecting substantially rightangular vertical flange for mount ing the bracket on the forward face of a window frame.

2. A Venetian blind bracket having a body member formed of a single sheet metal plate having a portion provided with longitudinal stiffening ribs and a longitudinal slider opening, said portion being folded over upon the remainder of the plate and stressed at the bend so that the folded portion contacts the plate with resilient pressure, the terminal part of said folded portion extending away from the plate to form a stiffened horizontal supporting shelf at substantially a right angle to said plate, and a locking element between said folded portion and said plate slidable in said slider opening to look a Venetian blind head-bar upon said shelf.

3. A Venetian blind bracket as defined in claim 2 having a pivoted valance carrier adapted to make latching engagement with said folded portion.

4. A Venetian blind bracket having a body member formed of a single sheet metal plate having a portion provided with a longitudinal stiffening rib and folded upon the remainder and stressed at the fold so that the rib of the folded portion contacts the plate with resiliently yieldable pressure, part of said folded portion extending away from the plate to form a stiffened horizontal supporting shelf at substantially a right angle to said sheet metal plate, and a valance carrier pivoted adjacent the lower forward cornor of said body member and swingable into open and closed position and having a portion which abuts against the forward edge of the bracket when the valance carrier is in closed position, and

having a boss which snaps past said rib on the folded portion of the bracket between the folded portion and said plate to hold said valance carrier in closed position.

5. A Venetian blind bracket having a body member formed of a single sheet metal plate having a portion provided with a longitudinal slider opening with a resilient tongue projecting from one end of said opening, said portion being folded over upon the remainder of the plate and stressed at the fold so that the folded portion contacts the plate with resilient pressure, the terminal part of said folded portion extending away from the plate to form a substantially horizontal supporting shelf, and a locking element between said shelf and said plate slidable in said slider opening and pressed against the plate by the resilient tongue.

6. A Venetian blind mounting as defined in claim 5 in which the locking element is formed of a sheet metal stamping having edge flanges which constitute bearings in said slider opening, and other edge flanges which constitute projections for manipulating said locking element and retaining it in said mounting.

7. A Venetian blind installation bracket comprising: a body member having a head-bar-supporting shelf yieldably attached to the remainder of the body member, and a head-bar retaining slider movable up and down with respect to the shelf, the slider having projecting means for retaining it in assembled relation to said body member, and the shelf yielding in its relationship to the remainder of the body member by an amount at least equal to the thicknes of the slider and providing for assembly of the slider with the body I which the body member is provided with a guide.-

way in which the slider reciprocates and the slider is provided with wings engageable with the opposite sides of the guideway.

10. A Venetian blind installation bracket comprising: a body member having a head-bar-supporting shelf yieldably attached to the remainder of the body member, a valance carrier swingably attached to the body member for movement into closed position with a portion of the carrier between said shelf and the remainder of the body member, the shelf yielding in its relationship to the remainder of the body member by an amount at least equal to the thickness of said portion of the carrier, and latching means for holding the carrier in closed position, said latching means in cluding a latching element on said carrier.

11. A Venetian blind bracket having a body member formed of a single sheet metal plate having a portion folded upon the remainder and stressed at the fold so that the folded portion con tacts the remainder of the plate with resilient pressure, part of said folded portion extending away from the plate to form a supporting shelf at substantially a right angle to said sheet metal plate, and a valance carrier pivoted on a forward corner of the plate and swingable between open and closed position and having a portion entered between the folded portion and the remainder of the plate when the retainer is in closed position.

12. A Venetian blind bracket having a body member formed of a single sheet metal plate having a portion folded upon the remainder and stressed at the fold so that the folded portion contacts the remainder of the plate with resilient pressure, paazt, 01 said. ioldad; QrtiQn extending.

away fro th l t t t a suppgrting shelf REFERENCES CITED at substantially a night, anglma said. sheet. metal Th iollowing refelz n ces of record in the plate, and a valance carrier having, a, flange s11! file of. this patent:

DBHIIIPQSGG. OH gnd pivotally OOHIlGctQSl W1th th8 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS plate: at: one, at xts forward. corners, sald netamer being swingable between open and closed position Number Name Date and-the superimposed flange thereqientering be," 1 3 Casper May 26, 1914 tween the, folded portionaml the remainder of the 543,109 Kass J1me 23, 1925 plate when theretainer is inclosed, position. L0: 2300,5110 Lorentz May 14, 1940 2,267,160 McKerlie Dec. 23, 1941 HARRX NELSQN 2,281,043 Nelson Apr. 28, 1942' 2,367,322 Wright et a1. Jan. 16, 1945 

